Jay-Z’s American Gangster: The Making of “Success”

(Nas, Ty-Ty, Young Guru, and NO ID are @ Roc The Mic Studios recording the track “Success” for the upcoming “American Gangster” album)

Guru: “I’m telling ya’ll…bitch had a nice body…she was wearin’ that dress too…”

Ty-Ty (passes Guru blunt, exhales): “And you sayin’ this was on what site?”

Guru: “NahRight.com, nigga. Them niggas on there been jockin’ her ever since then…”

NO ID (looks up from laptop): “Damn dawg…you must be online a lot.”

Guru (passes blunt back to Ty-Ty): “Nigga Jay pays me more to find beats all damn day then he’s paying you for this track….fuck you think I’m ‘bout to do…go find me a career or somethin’? Follow my “hopes” and “dreams” nigga?? Speakin’ of….how does it feel to know that the person that you mentored is famous and you ain’t?? Did he buy you that Kia outside nigga?? That brand new Rio in the parking lot???”

Ty-Ty: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!”

(NO ID lowers head, continues writing suicide note)

Nas (from corner, with two open paperback books in each hand): “Yo, you almost finished with that beat over there my strong African-American brotha? No homo of course.”

(NO ID closes Microsoft Word, re-opens Acid Pro)

NO ID (trying to hold back tears): “Y…y….yeah….*sniff*…its just about done.”

Nas (picking up a third book and sitting it in his lap): “Ok good…cuz I got some interesting material I’d like to discuss in this verse about the Mumbutu tribe of Zimbabwe if possib-“

(Jay walks in w/ the intro to “Roc Boys” faintly playing from his iPod, dressed in a Rocawear tracksuit)

Jay (mumbling w/ headphones on): “…And the winner is…”

Guru: “Nas?”

(Guru and Ty-Ty LTFAO, Nas tries not to smile)

Jay (taking off headphones): “Whats so funny? Ya’ll talkin’ shit about Bleek again? I told ya’ll that nigga might be sleep in here somewhere…don’t be talkin’ bout how wack he is when he’s around. He already attempted suicide after Guru showed that nigga Rocascenes.com.”

Guru: “Yo but them shits is funny though…that nigga was laughin’ and cryin’ at the same time.”

Jay (daps Nas): “Whateva nigga….NO ID what you got for me?”

NO ID: “Aight check it out….first of all I’m thankful for the opportu-“

Guru: “Just play the beat, nigga.”

NO ID: “Shut up….anyway…..when I first heard you wanted me to do this I thought…Jay and Nas on the same track?? This joint is gonna be monumental. So after a few hours this is what I came up with.”

Jay: “This shit is chess, not checkers…if I rewrite a better verse, niggas will KNOW. Plus, when these niggas hear the album, they’ll say he murked me…other niggas will cop…which equals more downloads album sales.”

Jay (to Ty-Ty): “Remind me to fire Guru later. Like I said….we’re keeping it. The album goes to mastering in one week…ain’t now way I can top that shit by then. I’ll be back later….I got Kelis and Rihanna’s forehead waiting, and reservations @ the Trump, nigga ask for me.”

Jay (taking off headphones): “Whats so funny? Ya’ll talkin’ shit about Bleek again? I told ya’ll that nigga might be sleep in here somewhere…don’t be talkin’ bout how wack he is when he’s around. He already attempted suicide after Guru showed that nigga Rocascenes.com.”